Christmas Story
by Fleury
Summary: After the final battle, Hermi


Hermione turned around, once again trying to look at anything but the kissing couples. Her eyes fixed on a small diamond ring stuck in between two stones of the cold floor. Her eyes filled with tears as she once more tried pulling the ring out. Tears now steadily running down her cheeks, she pulled back, the ring finally – after years of futile effort – in her hand. She placed it once again on her ring finger, and her silent crying turned into terrible sobs.

---

It had been years ago when he had come up to her, asking her to come see the Great Hall – it had been in third year, to be exact. She had, of course, gone with him. He led her to the very middle of the hall, where a small clump of plant stood hovering over her. She realized only seconds after walking under it that it was mistletoe. She gasped as she saw him coming closer, a small smile on his face.

Thoughts raced through her head as her crush stepped forward, beginning to close the gap between them. She hung her head down as simple thoughts such as _what should I do?_ and _oh, God, what is he doing?_ ran through her head. She raised her head to see him coming ever closer, pulling her into a firm embrace.

She turned rigid, knowing what might happen next. And it did.

The boy pulled back, and she looked straight into his eyes, seeing nothing but love in them. He pulled her closer; this time he did not just embrace her, but did something else. He continued pulling her closer and closer, finally banishing the gap in between their lips, catching her in a searing kiss.

She melted into his arms soon after the kiss had begun, and she stayed that way for minutes as long as hours. She never wanted to part from him, never wanted to stay away from him. She just wanted to stay there with him forever, connected lightly by their lips. For ten minutes, the kiss continued, showing emotions that had been hidden well for the past three years.

At last he pulled away, much to Hermione's disappointment. He only smiled warmly at her and placed something into her hand – the small ring. She had gasped at the beauty, and pulled her lips to his quickly. They parted only after a second, and she placed the beautiful ring with the gorgeous diamond on her finger.

---

People around her began to stare, but she never looked up from her hand. She stood there for minutes, remembering their crazy relationship the previous year. Now, it seemed, she would never make up with him.

After several minutes of heavy sobbing, she ran. She ran up seven flights of stairs, until she reached the beginning of a corridor. She sped down the hall and threw open a door. She entered, still sobbing, her whole body shaking.

She looked around the whole hospital wing, seeing every bed empty… every bed except one… the one where her love lay – in a coma.

Still sobbing, she took a seat on the bed, and stroked his fine fiery hair. She began whispering encouraging words in his ear, though she knew that he wouldn't hear.

She sighed and gathered his limp form in her arms. He had been in a coma for two weeks, since the final battle against Voldemort. Harry had won, yes, but at a terrible cost: Ginny had barely come out of it alive – indeed, she had only just woken up herself, Hermione had been basically a bag of broken bones and bruises, and his very best friend in the whole world had gone into a coma from which he might never return, thanks to the horrible spells placed on him at once when trying to defend Hermione.

The tears slowly faded, and she kept holding him tight, knowing that as long as she had hope, she couldn't give up. She looked down into his face and saw a very small smile on his face. Hermione, now not entirely sure what she was doing, leaned down, her lips descending on those of the man in her arms.

The gap between their lips was filled, and Hermione felt the familiar feeling that she had felt so many times before. Once again, the soaring feeling went through her head as she kissed Ron Weasley.

A mere ten seconds later, she parted, looking down on his face. There was a definite smile on his face now… perhaps he had woken up from his coma only hours ago, just to faint again? The thought filled Hermione with hope, and she released him, placing him gently down onto his bed.

"I love you, Ronald Weasley," she whispered.

Placing one more kiss on his smiling lips, she departed, feeling somewhat happier than she had in days. Though she knew tomorrow may be torture, being Christmas and all, she had a lighter note in her heart.

---

Lying down her four-poster bed, she smiled deeply. Before she could drift off to sleep, however, a sixth-year girl walked over to her bed and hugged Hermione. Even in the dark, Hermione was able to make out the fiery red hair of the girl next to her.

"Ginny?" She asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Yes," she replied, keeping her firm embrace around the other girl.

There was a long silence, which Hermione welcomed… it was broken minutes later, when Ginny spoke up again.

"You miss him, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. Very much so," Hermione replied in a shaking voice. She knew the tears would come soon… the tears that had avoided her for weeks… the tears that had avoided her until only the previous day.

"Then go see him tomorrow morning. I heard Madam Pomfrey talking to Professor Dumbledore today. She's convinced that since you visited him earlier today, he's been showing improvement. She says he might possibly wake up in the next few hours. But until then…" Hermione saw the girl looking at her, taking her arms away from Hermione's shaking body. She bent down and disappeared for a bit. She returned naught but a second later, holding a small package. "This is for you. Merry Christmas, Hermione."

Hermione took the package from the younger girl's hands. It wasn't heavy, but rather light – too light for a box of its size.

A small beam of moonlight hit Hermione's gift, illuminating a golden card. On the card was written her name in a very untidy scrawl – Ron's scrawl. She couldn't stop herself; the tears came.

She opened the gift to find a small roll of parchment inside, along with a beautiful necklace that had a red pendant and a gold chain… Gryffindor colors. She picked it up and fastened it around her neck. Then, with shaking hands, she once again reached into the box, unrolling the parchment. She read it, her eyes widening.

Hermione – 

_I'm very sorry for the latest argument we had. I admit it was my fault entirely. I only want you to be happy this Christmas. Please except the necklace as seven years' worth of apologies. I just want you happy, Hermione. As corny as it may seem, I just want you to know that you are happy._

_Love,_

_Ron_

Hermione choked. She held the letter to herself, muttering a thanks to Ginny. Ginny then stepped forward, kissed Hermione on the cheek (in a friendly way), and walked out of the room.

---

Hermione awoke feeling slightly confused. She then remembered the previous evening and sat bolt upright. Without noticing the packages at the end of her bed, she rushed out of the room, still in her nightgown.

She raced down the halls, her heart swelling with joy. She ran up all seven flights of stairs and into the hospital wing. The view that awaited her made her heart sink and her smile disappear. All the teachers – with the exception of Professors Trelawney and Snape – were crowded around his bed, crying. She walked silently over, not daring to look up.

The professors noticed her presence and immediately parted to show a pale-looking Ron – A Ron who was not breathing, who was not warm, who was not alive.

She gasped and sank to her knees. She didn't know how long she sobbed for, but the professors had left by the time she had looked up at the lifeless form in front of her. She reached up and grabbed him, pulling him into the most heart-felt and emotional kiss she had ever given anyone.

As if in response, Ron gasped for breath, breaking Hermione's lips away from him. His eyes had shot open, and he sat there, breathing heavily.

Hermione looked at the still pale Ron, and tears of joy flooded her cheeks. She pulled him into another kiss, letting all her love out with it.

She pulled back. Ron sat there, dumbfounded. His mouth was open wide, as if threatening to fall off. Hermione smiled as she saw his dubious expression.

"I love you, Ron," she said, loudly enough for anyone in the hospital wing to hear her. She grabbed him and held him at arm's length, a beautiful smile spreading across her lips.

Ron still sat there, breathing heavily, a look of confusion on his face. Only a minute or so after she had announced her love, Hermione's smile began to fade. She sat there, her arms still holding him at arm's length. She was about to let go when she saw the confused face being replaced with a joyful one. She felt herself being pulled once again into a searing kiss.

After they parted, Ron beamed at her, repeating her words just as loudly as she had said them.

"I love you too, Hermione."

The two seventeen-year-olds embraced, tears pouring down both their faces. They sat there, just hugging, as time slowed. Neither of them ever knew how long they had just sat there in each arms, but they both knew that that day had been the greatest Christmas of both of their lives.

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Righto. First of all, I'm planning on writing a longer fic later this year, perhaps during summer vacation. I've got some of the story planned, but not a lot. The reason the ring was in the ground will be explained in the story (hopefully/if I publish it).

Please Read and Review. squishes everyone thanks :D


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